Review: Rockstar Unplugged

PepsiCo's Rockstar Unplugged is a new line of sugar-free energy drinks featuring a lower dose of caffeine along with ingredients such as hemp seed oil, spearmint, lemon balm, and B vitamins. It's available in three flavors: Blueberry, Passionfruit, and Raspberry Cucumber.

A 12-fl oz can retails for $1.99, but I received these two cans courtesy of PepsiCo (in a fancy box to boot).

The Blueberry Rockstar Unplugged had a generic berry candy flavor and smell to match, but with an almost medicinal taste in the middle note that gave the energy drink a very mild bitter flavor.  My guess is that the herbal ingredients, perhaps the spearmint specifically, contributed to this effect. The artificial sweetener was more noticeable in this particular flavor, and it tasted fairly sweet.

The Passionfruit Rockstar Unplugged did not provide any tart notes unlike actual passionfruit, but offered more of a light, generic tropical flavor. It was fairly mellow and refreshing. I didn't notice much of a medicinal taste in the Passionfruit flavor, unlike with the Blueberry. The artificial sweetener was also less prominent and more of an aftertaste. I enjoyed the Passionfruit flavor a great deal more out of the two I tried.

Overall, the Rockstar Unplugged line of energy drinks provided a fairly interesting twist on the standard energy drink. They have a more mellow flavor, but the herbal ingredients lent a somewhat strange taste to the drinks (although I may just be sensitive to bitter flavors). They're a decent alternative to coffee and tea if those aren't your preference and you're wanting something with a lower caffeine profile than the usual energy drink.

Review by Renee.